"How Can You Eat Right Now?" Parent Who Overturned Lunch Tray on Principal Gets 3-Year Probation

A parent who overturned a school lunch tray and injured a middle school principal has been sentenced to probation.

On September 1, Judge Jeon Myunghwan of the Daegu District Court’s Criminal Division 11 sentenced a woman in her 50s, referred to as Ms. A, to one year and six months in prison, suspended for three years, for charges including aggravated assault. The court also ordered two years of probation and 120 hours of community service.

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Ms. A was brought to trial on charges of pouring food from a tray over the head of Principal B (age 61) and grabbing him by the collar while shouting profanities such as "How can you eat right now?" in the cafeteria of a middle school in Dong-gu, Daegu, this past June. The victim, Principal B, sustained injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment.

At the time of the incident, Ms. A was scheduled to consult with Principal B regarding her child but became enraged when she found him eating without waiting for her, leading to the assault. Even after being sent home, she reportedly returned to confront Principal B again and remained at the school until police arrived, despite teachers’ attempts to restrain her.

The court stated, "The act of pouring food on the victim in front of students and teachers, causing shock, is a serious offense." However, the court also noted, "The victim’s injuries were not severe, the food tray was not used to strike the victim directly, and the defendant admitted to the crime. These factors were taken into consideration in determining the sentence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.